N.Y. Penal Law Section 265.46
Failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, and firearms in the second degree

No person who owns or is custodian of a rifle, shotgun or firearm and knows, or has reason to know, that a person less than sixteen years of age is likely to gain access to such rifle, shotgun or firearm shall store or otherwise leave such rifle, shotgun or firearm out of his or her immediate possession or control without having first securely locked such rifle, shotgun or firearm in an appropriate safe storage depository or rendered it incapable of being fired by use of a gun locking device appropriate to that weapon. For purposes of this section “safe storage depository” shall have the same meaning as such term is defined in section 265.45 of this article. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to affect, impair or supersede any special or local act relating to the safe storage of rifles, shotguns or firearms which impose additional requirements on the owner or custodian of such weapons. It shall not be a violation of this section to allow a person less than sixteen years of age access to:

(i)

a firearm, rifle or shotgun for lawful use as authorized under paragraph seven or seven-e of subdivision a of section 265.20 of this article, or

(ii)

a rifle or shotgun for lawful use as authorized by article eleven of the environmental conservation law when such person less than sixteen years of age is the holder of a hunting license or permit and such rifle or shotgun is used in accordance with such law. Failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, and firearms in the second degree is a violation punishable only by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars.

Source: Section 265.46 — Failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, and firearms in the second degree, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/PEN/265.­46 (updated Nov. 8, 2024; accessed Dec. 13, 2025).

265.00
Definitions 265.01
Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree 265.01–A
Criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds 265.01–B
Criminal possession of a firearm 265.01–C
Criminal possession of a rapid-fire modification device 265.01–D
Criminal possession of a weapon in a restricted location 265.01–E
Criminal possession of a firearm, rifle or shotgun in a sensitive location 265.02
Criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree 265.03
Criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree 265.04
Criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree 265.05
Unlawful possession of weapons by persons under sixteen 265.06
Unlawful possession of a weapon upon school grounds 265.07
Registration and serialization of firearms, rifles, shotguns, finished frames or receivers, and unfinished frames or receivers 265.08
Criminal use of a firearm in the second degree 265.09
Criminal use of a firearm in the first degree 265.10
Manufacture, transport, disposition and defacement of weapons and dangerous instruments and appliances 265.11
Criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree 265.12
Criminal sale of a firearm in the second degree 265.13
Criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree 265.14
Criminal sale of a firearm with the aid of a minor 265.15
Presumptions of possession, unlawful intent and defacement 265.16
Criminal sale of a firearm to a minor 265.17
Criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon 265.19
Aggravated criminal possession of a weapon 265.20
Exemptions 265.25
Certain wounds to be reported 265.26
Burn injury and wounds to be reported 265.30
Certain convictions to be reported 265.35
Prohibited use of weapons 265.37
Unlawful possession of certain ammunition feeding devices 265.38
Unlawful sale of a non-microstamping-enabled firearm 265.40
Purchase of rifles and/or shotguns in contiguous states 265.45
Failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, and firearms in the first degree 265.46
Failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, and firearms in the second degree 265.50
Criminal manufacture, sale, or transport of an undetectable firearm, rifle or shotgun 265.55
Criminal possession of an undetectable firearm, rifle or shotgun 265.60
Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the second degree 265.61
Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the first degree 265.63
Criminal sale of a frame or receiver in the second degree 265.64
Criminal sale of a frame or receiver in the first degree 265.65
Criminal purchase of a semiautomatic rifle 265.66
Criminal sale of a semiautomatic rifle
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Verified:
Dec. 13, 2025

Last modified:
Nov. 8, 2024

§ 265.46. Failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, & firearms in the second degree's source at nysenate​.gov

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